


everything's a metaphor for fate

by xervos



Category: Hyouka & Kotenbu Series
Genre: F/M, Whisper of the Heart AU, chitanda is a sweetheart, houtarou is confused and lost
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-07
Updated: 2020-07-07
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:48:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25123432
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xervos/pseuds/xervos
Summary: In this life, Oreki Houtarou is a boy who doesn’t know what to do. He is fairly decent at solving mysteries, an above average writer, and he's not that bad at following instruction. But that's the problem. He has no idea what to do with himself, no direction, no clue.In this life, Chitanda Eru does not have soft hands. Small, slender, but calloused. They're hands that labor to pick apart something delicate and precious, finding out what makes it tick, understanding why it does, and she puts it back together like a seamstress.In a city where a dreamer and a way finder reside, fate draws them ever closer.
Relationships: Chitanda Eru/Oreki Houtarou
Comments: 6
Kudos: 24





	everything's a metaphor for fate

_1._

Houtarou is handed the book card of his most recent book of interest when his attention is snagged by a name, written in the fanciful calligraphy of the head librarian. He frowns, thinking, then pulls out two other books that he borrowed two days previous.

There it is again.

He doesn’t believe in fate, but he can recognize poetry when he sees it. Looking around, he goes to a random shelf and scans the books until he pulls out a familiar-looking paperback.

Fairy tales, fate, destiny, Houtarou couldn’t think of them as anything more as coincidences. Results of results, sprung from endless choices. There’s almost no way he’d get a book with that same name on the back for the fourth time.

He flips the book to the page with the library card. He almost misses it, the handwriting being different, but it’s there.

_Chitanda Eru_.

His mind whirrs. What are the odds?

“Houtarou!” Satoshi calls from their seat, impatient. He looks over. The table was covered with summer homework that Satoshi hadn’t finished yet. Houtarou wasn’t the best student but he certainly wasn’t the worst either. At least he’d finished his homework. “What are you doing?”

Houtarou puts the novel back.

“Nothing.”

_2._

Houtarou doesn’t think much of the name, not at first. He goes to the library everyday as per his father’s suggestion, and his routine follows like clockwork. Make breakfast, eat with his father, bring the book he previously bought or borrowed, bike to the library, meet Satoshi (sometimes) or Ibara (also sometimes). It was all that it was for a few weeks, but another constant has come into his life, a name no more familiar than his own.

He sees it everywhere. Mystery novels, gardening books, antique and vintage references. He doesn’t think much of it other than some strange coincidence that seems to follow him around in every book he’s borrowed or read.

He eyes the newest book he borrowed, sitting on the corner of the table. Ibara had words to say about it, and pestered him and Satoshi into waiting for her to finish her shift before going off to lunch.

“It’s a pity that no one’s borrowed it yet,” she muttered as she wrote the card details. Houtarou pointed out that _he_ was as he watched her. Her writing was, as he remembered, neat and precise. “You’re not human, so you’re not counted.”

He chose to ignore that and asked, “Have you read it?”

She shook her head. “Fuku-chan told me about it. It’s really rare. We only got the donation last week or so, and not everyone’s into mystery.” She finished writing and told him to wait until Satoshi came so they could eat. He complied, sitting at the table nearest to the window but not that far that Ibara or Satoshi couldn’t find him later.

Houtarou flips the book open, to the library card first. His name is the only one there. It’s strange, to read a book before the mysterious Chitanda Eru, but he doesn’t dwell on it further. He opens the book to the title page, and stops.

Satoshi chooses that exact moment to bound up to him, setting his bag on the other free seat.

“Where’s Mayaka?”

“Working. We’re supposed to wait for her.”

“That’s nice,” he says, and then, “what are you looking at?” Houtarou looks up. Satoshi was curious. 

“Look, there’s Ibara,” Houtarou says instead, and Satoshi stands, smiling to greet her. He takes one last glance at the page before closing the book and standing to join them.

On the title page, there were two stamps. One read _Donated by_ and the other read _Chitanda_.

_3._

It’s a warm Sunday morning when the house phone trills and wakes Houtarou. If it were a cold day, he would’ve complained about leaving the warm encasement of the bed, but summer brought about unbearable heat that made his shirt stick to his back. For that, he was grateful, if not still a bit disgruntled. The cold will still be the worst kind of torture, but the summer heat makes that all the more appealing.

As he stood, he caught sight of the book from yesterday, already halfway read, his page marked with a piece of paper covered with analyses about the book that Satoshi pestered him to explain. He trudged downstairs, muttering, “coming, coming.”

The house was probably empty. Glancing into the kitchen, he noticed the dish rack next to the sink had two sets of plates. He picked up the phone, not really knowing who to expect. “Yes?”

“Houtarou, help me! Are you free?”

“Satoshi. It’s Sunday.”

Satoshi, however, either didn’t hear or ignored Houtarou. He plowed on, frantic. Houtarou pulled up a chair and yawned.

“—and so, please help me pick out a gift for Mayaka.”

He checked the time. It was ten thirty, and both his sister and his father were at work. He’d have to make his own lunch, but thinking about what his sister cooked that night, there might not be enough ingredients that’d make something satisfying. He hadn’t bought a gift for Ibara either, and her birthday is in a week or so.

“I’ll be ready in half an hour,” he muttered. He considered the distance between their houses. “I’ll see you at Akabashi Bridge, then.”

“See you,” it sounded like Satoshi was smiling, not that Houtarou could actually tell, and so he hung up.

He isn’t sure why, but he brought the book with him. He’d have to ask Satoshi about it later, and see what the database has to say about the Chitanda name.

—

The mall, for a Sunday at Kamiyama, was empty. Houtarou had stopped by a convenience store to buy breakfast before heading to the meeting place, and had been delayed for a few minutes trying to decide if he should buy his regular tea or a new one that looked interesting. Satoshi likely already had breakfast before he called, and when they met up headed straight to the mall.

The art supplies store was the first stop, a no-brainer since Ibara had been sulking about expensive equipment for the past few weeks.

_“It would be handy if I had a decent camera to take reference shots with, but it’s really expensive…”_

Houtarou would not buy Ibara a camera, but he spotted a set of pens with a familiar brand name. He moved closer to inspect it.

“Satoshi,” he called. “What do you know about this?”

“That’s Mayaka’s favorite brand of pens. Are you getting it for her?”

“Maybe. Do you want to?”

“It’s fine. I think I saw something in the shop across us earlier, so you can go ahead.”

If that’s the case, then.

After purchasing the pen set and refills, they headed to the shop across them. It was an accessories shop with little necklaces and things. Houtarou idly wondered if Ibara actually liked gold colored bangles and shiny ribbons. At most, they'd be obstructions while she worked. On another hand, he just can't picture it. Satoshi muttered to himself about birth stones but they left the store when it was obvious he wasn't going to buy anything. (The store clerk was eyeing them suspiciously by the time they made their fifth round.)

Right when Houtarou was about to suggest eating lunch before continuing the search, Satoshi spotted an antique shop, which seemed more foreign when one stepped inside, albeit the tight space. Houtarou was very tempted to sit on one of the armchairs, tired after being dragged along and forced to listen to fact after fact. Satoshi’s unimpressed look when he noticed stopped him from doing so.

Instead, he checked the bookshelf. The titles were mostly in English, so he picked out the thinnest one, but when he flipped it open, it was in Japanese. He started reading it. It was something about a cat helping a girl find her way in another world, where islands float. He was right about to finish it when Satoshi said he found something.

It was a little wooden box. The surface was polished and shiny, etched with ornate animal designs on the sides. The inside wasn’t exactly remarkable, but it looked like something Ibara would use.

Well, she’d appreciate anything that Satoshi would give her anyway. “It’s big enough to hold her supplies,” Satoshi said. “Or something else, but it looks like something she’d get inspiration from.” Houtarou made no further comment and went outside as Satoshi paid.

It was a nice day to read, Houtarou thought idly. He remembered the book that he brought along and started to read.

“What’s that?” Satoshi asked. So he was already done. The gift bag was hanging onto his arm. Not waiting for an answer, peeked at the cover. “Is this one of the new books Mayaka was talking about?”

Houtarou nodded, and flipped open to the title page. He pointed to the stamps. “What do you know about the Chitandas?”

Satoshi whistled. Houtarou put the book away and waited. Satoshi started walking and went on about one of the most prestigious families in Kamiyama, and that their only daughter was an honor student. “Why do you ask?”

Houtarou considered telling him about the curious mystery of the book cards, but was unable to when they rounded the corner to come up at Pineapple Sand.

“No reason.”

_4._

“Thanks Houtarou. You really saved me back there!” Satoshi was way too energetic after eating a late lunch. Houtarou “I’m sure Mayaka would like it.”

Houtarou hummed in agreement. It wasn’t that hot anymore, thankfully, and they were walking back home. He was hoping Satoshi didn’t probe about earlier.

“By the way, you’re not one to just ask me something out of the blue.” And there it was. 

“It’s really nothing.” He moved to show the book but faltered when he couldn’t feel the hardcover in his bag. “I think I forgot it. Go on ahead."

"Alright."

Houtarou doesn't rush. He normally doesn't care for the sweat that comes after a sudden bout of exercise nor for his heart to be yammering a thousand times a minute, so he doesn't rush. He walks a little faster than normal and silently hopes to anything listening that the book was still there, and that no one picked it up. And if they did, he hopes that they gave it to the master. Thankfully, it wasn't a long walk.

The doorbell jingled softly as he entered. He made his way to the table he and Satoshi ate at, and stopped.

A girl stood there, holding a book. She had it open, fingers touching the pages reverently. She mouthed the words, just short of reading it aloud. 

“Excuse me,” Houtarou said.

The girl looked up, smiling slightly. Her eyes are shining, and there’s a little bit of a question in them.

“Is this yours, Oreki-san?”

How did she— “Yes, thank you for picking it up.”

“You should be more careful,” she giggled. “Who did you think was the thief?”

“The thief?”

“Yes! Your analysis was brilliant, even when you hadn’t finished the book yet.”

“I—” He was cut off when the master called out a free table for two, and the girl lit up. She bowed at the perfect angle of courtesy, and quickly sat down to join someone.

Houtarou was not curious. No, he was most definitely not. He turned his heel, and left the cafe.

But if his eyes met with the girl’s on his way out, well. Nobody needs to know.

_5._

On another trip back home from the library, he finds himself on the train, sitting next to a cat. At first, he paid it no heed, closing his eyes and letting idle thoughts pass through his head. He had finished the book today and Ibara gave a faint nod of approval. He was almost reluctant to return it, but he didn’t want to carry it around for another few days.

He looked at the cat next to him. It behaved like any other passenger, quiet, unassuming. He watches it, asking it questions in his head.

_Should I have held on to it? Do you think that girl from the cafe was Chitanda Eru? Where are you going?_

He may be aware that he’s been staring at the cat for a few minutes hoping it has telepathy or something and that it’d tell him something, but it merely looks on ahead out the window, tail swishing back and forth.

The train announces the next station, and pulls to a stop. Houtarou stands, and so does the cat. He watches it go out the doors.

_I am not following the cat_ , he thinks as he walks out.

He makes a turn, and the cat is there. He keeps moving straight forward up the stairs, and so does the cat. If Satoshi were to ask, Houtarou would deny everything and say that it was only coincidence. He keeps an eye on it, and coming to a crossroad, where he was supposed to go left, he goes to the right. Strangely enough the cat keeps looking back at him every once in a while, as if it was making sure Houtarou was still following.

_Down the hill,_ a little voice in his head whispers, and he wants to smother it. Why is he still following it? The day was warm, and going up a hill wasn’t the best way to spend his energy reserves without a bicycle, but he reasons that he still has some to spare after staying in the library for most of the day.

The cat stops at a circle of houses tucked away behind an alley. Houtarou almost regrets the uphill climb considering there’s nothing to see, but retracts it when he sees a bookstore across the road island. It was a little worn down, paint peeling off the walls, but there was something about it that made him think that he was in a novel. The cat, and now he realises that it had a bell on its collar, enters the shop.

Taken with an unfamiliar feeling, Houtarou follows.

Next to the entrance, there was a wooden sign, a little faded, but words still readable.

“ _Hyouka_.” 

— 

He hears a _mrrp_ and directs his attention inside. It’s one of the many times when he was honestly struck speechless. The room was made of shelves and books and paper, a kingdom of stories and mysteries. There were very few tables with chairs, and some had trinkets on them. Nobody was there. The cat is perched on top of a shelf, white tail swishing carelessly, watching him.

He sets his bag down on one of the tables. It wouldn’t hurt to look around. Maybe he’ll buy something.

Houtarou browses, not quite reading, but making sure that he’s not dreaming, trying to solve the mystery of the cat, when he realises that time has passed way too fast and he should be leaving. He can already imagine his sister would be raging if he got home late, much more if he didn’t bring back the cheesecake she asked him to buy on the way back.

_One more shelf,_ he thinks. He pauses when he finds a book almost identical to the one that he has in his bag. The pages weren’t as yellowed, the front cover didn't have an inscription with a messy, flowing hand, and didn't smell like home, but it was the very same. He puts it back where it came from, and picks out another one.

There’s a little pink sakura mark on the title page. Not quite a stamp, but Houtarou figures it’s sort of a signature. He puts it back, and leaves.

He’s not even four houses away when he realises he forgot his bag.

He walks a bit faster returning to the shop on the hill. He’s a bit out of breath, but he manages enough. Again, he’s caught off-guard. Mystery girl was standing in the middle of the store, by the round table his bag was on. She was holding his book carefully, the same way she was holding the book he borrowed. Did it stick out of his bag? It probably did.

He didn’t know if he should bring attention to himself or not, so his hand just hovered awkwardly next to the entrance. A slight breeze passed by, and a windchime rang.

The girl looked up, saw him, and smiled. He didn’t notice it the first time, and maybe he’s being just a little bit poetic here, or it was just the afternoon heat, but her eyes are bright and makes him think of orchids.

“You seem to be very forgetful, Oreki-san!” she giggles.

Houtarou feels himself grow tense in indignation, but her laugh is kind. He finds it difficult to refute, so he looks away.

“Excuse me,”he said while reaching for his bag. She stepped back, and he expected her to just leave the book on the table, but when he checks again, she’s just watching him. When she notices he caught her, she smiles again.

The mysterious girl only nods and hands him back his book—gilded in gold, a small hardcover that he’s been caring for since he was a child—but not before running her hands over the worn cover. Her gaze is fond. “It’s a beautiful book.”

“Thank you,” Houtarou says. This time he feels he should offer something, any little thing. “My mother gave it to me."

_6._

When school starts again, he’s almost convinced that the universe is trying to tell him something. He sees the girl every so often, it’s a surprise he still doesn’t know her name. But he is in a daze, and he's trying so very hard to avoid the girl but every once in a while she finds him. He won’t allow himself to get any more curious than he already is.

In some corner of his mind, something that he won’t admit even under scrutiny, he thinks of a certain bright eyed curiosity being Chitanda Eru. Which is why he doesn't look for her. No, he's only been _thinking_ about the enigmatic mystery of a name, which is not quite the same, but it's better than interviewing librarians like a stalker. He stares at the book cards, figures out patterns, finds out there's little chance that he will find her and he might as well push it back for another day.

He isn't the type of person to look for someone. His attention isn't caught until it's been backed into a corner and he has no other choice but to solve the damn thing so he can preserve more energy in the long run than going down struggling for something futile.

But Mystery Girl, oh, Mystery Girl. She sees him read, bounds up to him with questions rampant about the new book he's reading, asks him about the library's mysteries that he resolves with little flourish or pride.

_Luck_ , he calls it, but there's a niggling part at the back of his mind that says he's been very unlucky if he hasn't found Chitanda yet. Mystery Girl loves shoving mysteries at him, and he's quick to indulge in her so long as his energy conservation is preserved.

She is the foil to the mystery of Chitanda Eru, and he’s enjoying himself because of it.

—

Ibara's birthday passes by uneventfully. He gave it to her during her library shift on a rainy day when she was managing the desk instead of shelving books, and ignored the way she glowered at it.

“Did you not want it?” He asked, mostly out of sarcasm.

“No, just…” Oh? Ibara at a loss for words? “Thank you, Oreki.”

His face scrunches a bit. He was not used to Ibara's niceties.

“What was that?”

“I said stop being so cheeky.”

“Ibara-san, can you help me put these in the archives?”

“Ah, yes ma’am.” She nods in Houtarou’s direction, and bustles away. Nothing better to do until the rain dies out, he sits at a table and reads. He doesn’t know how much time passed, but it was long enough that the rain stopped. He gathers his things, and before he leaves, checks a book for a name.

“Are you looking for something, Oreki-san?”

He's hesitant to tell her but her shining eyes beg curiosity today, so he mutters,“Something like that.”

“What do you mean?” _  
_ _  
_ “I don't know— she's read the books that I've read, even more that I haven't. I have never seen her face, because I only know her name through these.” He taps on the book card for emphasis. Mystery girl looks thoughtful.  
  
“How curious, I believe we were in a similar case.”  
  
“Were?” _  
_ _  
_ She smiles, “I already found that person.” _  
_ _  
_ Houtarou blinks. Is the world really so small?  
  
“Who?”  
  
“It's—” _  
_ _  
_ “Houtarou!” Satoshi calls. They both turn to look at him at the entrance. He was most likely here for Ibara. Mystery girl says a quick goodbye and Satoshi is promptly distracted by Ibara emerging from the archives room.

“What a strange girl…”

_7._

He finds himself back at Hyouka more times than he can count, mostly pulling out books from the shelves to read. The owner sits behind a white piano Houtarou didn’t notice the first time, which was acting doubly as the cashier area. Mystery girl, whom Houtarou soon found out was the niece of the owner after their banters, rarely makes an appearance but when she does he finds himself listening to her projects rather than reading.

Today was not a good day. He wanders the town and doesn’t realise that his feet took him to Hyouka until he was standing outside it. He stared into the bookshelves there, wondering if there’s a way to find an escape.

“Oreki-san,” a voice cuts through his thoughts. He looks up and it’s Mystery Girl, wearing her work apron. Her brows were knitted together. “What’s the matter?”

He couldn’t help it. “I needed to… get away.”

“Well,” she says, smiling gently, “you’re welcome to stay for as long as you like.” Before he could say thanks, she disappeared into the shadows of the shop.

So he does whatever distressed student does in the situation. He takes a seat.

She returns with a tray of tea and other snacks, gently making him sit down at one of the numerous tables around the store.

“Thank you,” he says, and she smiles.

“What’s wrong?”

“I… don’t know what to do.”  
  
He tells her his story, about how he doesn’t know what to do with his life. That all he knows are the confines of libraries and pages of ink. When he was asked by his homeroom teacher today, that he doesn’t know what to do, he didn’t know how to answer. He tells her about his eccentric older sister (she expressed some amazement at the mention), and about his father. He finishes his story at the same time he finishes his tea.

In turn, she talks about their town, her quiet aspirations of taking over the store, and they talk about the books that they fell into. She shows him things she’s worked on, and he’s amazed at how small hands can repair even the largest and most complicated of things. She talks about Hyouka, and her uncle, and he’s a bit awed when she shows him a grandfather clock.

“It has a story about it—”  
  
“Eru, I need you to man the register for a while,” the familiar voice of the owner floats above them. The girl agrees, about to stand. Houtarou stares.  
  
“Eru,” he says, and falters a bit. “You’re Chitanda Eru?”  
  
“Why, have I never said so before…?”  
  
Houtarou stills, and mutters a no. He doesn’t think it strange, but many coincidences just seemed to slide together quietly until it just clicked.

Later, when he’s about to leave, she accompanies him down to the library.

“So, you and Ibara have known each other since—”

“Last year. I helped bring some books from our collection to the public library and Mayaka-san was the one in charge then. She was so helpful!”

“Yeah, well, she’s only like that to you it seems.”

“That’s not nice, Oreki-san.”

“I’ve known her since elementary school, there’s no reason for me to hold back when it’s her.”

“How nice, to have a childhood friend like that.”

Houtarou thinks of the many Valentine’s Days and school projects.

“Probably.”

_8._

“By the way, Chitanda.”  
  
“Yes?”  
  
“When you said you found your person of interest—”  
  
“Oh, yes. It was fairly fast.”  
  
“Fast?”  
  
“Well, you see, I picked up my favourite book one day and a few minutes later, the one who borrowed it asked for it again.”  
  
“...Is that so?”  
  
“Yes, you’re a very interesting person, Oreki-san.”

**Author's Note:**

> THIS TOOK SO LONG but i love it all the same. this is my first long work in a while. i wrote this long before the spring event of the discord server, and i planned posting it during then, but i missed the timing because Things Were Happening and then i got lazy (tripled when quarantine came about and i had other duties to fulfill.)
> 
> whisper of the heart is such a nice feel good movie i can't hear country roads (take me home) normally anymore.
> 
> comments, kudos, anything, appreciated!
> 
> [tumblr](https://cocinnea.tumblr.com) | [addendum](https://cocinnea.tumblr.com/post/623608769282277377/addendums-that-didnt-make-it-into-the-fic)  
> [the song you might wanna listen to](https://open.spotify.com/track/3N4C1o5kDuwb6GfYwt7Emo?si=xKKh2ud-QDiTuwV3vsuehg)


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